brrfandomcom-20200214-history
BLCA c29s02
Text Luna had greeted them warmly in the courtyard... and whatever frustrations she'd had were long gone, instead looking oddly proud of her husband her daughter. Twilight and Celestia both looked a little more irritated, but when they saw Scarlet Sage was alright, they both calmed grudgingly. Twilight relaxed faster than Celestia, but even the ivory equine didn't have much of a lecture for the male, which he was admittedly glad for. He thought a large part of that, though, was because of the prophecy that Scarlet had made... that, and the fact the Blood Seer wasn't having any severe reactions from his Tyrant Wyrm blood. She was still a little tired, but it could easily be simply from the intensity of the vision: for now, there was nothing wrong with her worth panicking over, although Luna still insisted on seeing Scarlet Sage up to her room to rest. Now, late at night, with Scarlet long asleep, Scrivener Blooms rested in the Garden at full Tyrant Wyrm size, smiling at how comfortable the large room was around him as Twilight and Luna both sat in front of him. Celestia sat across from them, a heavy silver chalice covered with runes in her armored front hooves, its crystalline contents steaming faintly. They gazed at one-another, and then Luna smiled softly, saying softly: "'Tis not an elixir so grand as what I drank, but it will do for this. Empowerment, Celestia... but at what price, thou asks? Thou recognizes the runes upon the chalice, does thou not? Aye, honor, fealty, and obeisance. I do not need silly magic for thee, Celestia, do I? All I need is to make thee pledge these things to me by drinking from that cup... thy mind and heart and soul grip their meaning. And I believe that if thou ever did move against me... thy heart and soul would tear thy mind apart." "It's foolish, sister. Giving me more power, making me stronger, asking only my word in return. I could turn on you. I would be a dangerous enemy." Celestia said softly, and Luna only smiled warmly in return... which made Celestia smile back before she fearlessly tilted the chalice upwards, drinking down its contents before closing her eyes and tossing the grail away with a soft gasp as her mane flared upwards and glowed brighter for a moment, making the armor covering her strong form glimmer with its shine. Then her eyes opened, amethyst irises flickering as she looked across at them, saying quietly: "But I know you're not stupid. That sometimes a ribbon works better than the strongest of chains and cells... so instead, let me thank you. For trusting in me. For giving me this place that I will cherish all the more because of how precarious my position is... bound to you, and yet not. Tied forever with your fates, and yet at the same time... free to make my own path. Able to leave your side any time I pleased... but knowing that I never could, all the same." With that, Celestia smiled softly as she flicked her horn upwards, her mane twisting back as the armor over her body shuddered before clicking loudly as it metal plates snapped out of place and hidden hinges popped open, mesh drawing away until she was able to smile as she rose her head proudly. Over the right side of her breast, she had tattooed Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Bloom's names in bold black runes, and when they looked up at her, Celestia only closed her eyes before saying softly: "I never wish to hide my allegiances again." Then she flicked her horn easily upwards, and her armor snapped quickly back into place as it glowed faintly, the female saying softly: "I wish I could come up with something more suiting, but it was difficult enough as it was to get Cowlick to follow my instructions. She did very well in enchanting my armor, but she's less-capable when it comes to artistry, as I learned." "Sister..." Luna trembled a bit, swallowing thickly and staring with adoration at Celestia, but the ivory equine only shrugged and smiled as the last of her armor locked back into place, and then Luna ran forwards and hugged her firmly as Scrivener Blooms smiled warmly, and even Twilight shadow nodded slowly, looking impressed despite herself. "Oh, what a blessing thou art..." "I... have something for you, Celestia." Twilight Shadow said quietly, as Luna drew back from her sibling, and Celestia looked up curiously before Twilight glanced up at Scrivener, who shrugged and nodded before the the violet mare quietly strode forwards... and then smiled a little, saying finally: "I... well... didn't know if you'd wear it or not at first. But... I feel both more confident and less confident about giving it to you now." Twilight glanced over her shoulder, her horn glowing... and then she gave Scrivy a flat look when nothing happened, and the male grumbled as he rose one foreleg and rolled a little to one side, a small chest popping free into the air from where it had been stuck beneath him. The slightly-dented, simple metal box floated quietly over to Twilight, then opened with a click before Celestia's eyes widened in surprise as a golden collar floated out, made of hardened, segmented leather and bands of metal, and with a topaz clasp in the shape of the harvest moon. It was large and solid, and Celestia reached up to touch it before her eyes widened as she looked up at Scrivener, who smiled awkwardly and rubbed absently at one shoulder. "Twilight's idea. Stung like hell, though." "You used your own scales..." Celestia murmured softly, and then she smiled a little as her amethyst eyes roved over the ivory underside of the collar. And stitched carefully into the back of this softer, leather underside of was the illustration of a flying bird in red thread. "How did you..." "Celestia I... I do pay attention to you." Twilight replied quietly, smiling a little, and when Celestia rose her eyes the purple mare straightened and said in a soft, honest voice: "Welcome... truly, welcome... to our family. I... I missed you." "I missed you too, Twilight." Celestia gazed at her warmly, and then she smiled as the violet mare leaned forwards and gently took the collar, slipping it carefully around Celestia's neck before tightening the clasp, and then the two mares embraced fiercely, pressing against one-another as Scrivener and Luna both gazed affectionately down at them. They drew apart after a few moments, and Luna strode up to look back and forth between the mares with a smile as Scrivener leaned forwards with a rumble of soft pleasure. He could feel their emotions, their attachments to him and to one-another... and more than that, as he gazed down at them, he felt like they were his. He thought of what Scarlet Sage had said: everything in the world could and would be his, and he licked his lips slowly at this thought as Luna twitched a bit... then slowly looked up with a smile, her own eyes lighting up as she gazed back and forth between Celestia and Twilight. They both looked towards her, tilting her heads, and then Luna leaned forwards and said in a warm voice: "Worry not, my family... 'tis only... a moment of indulgence. Yes, indulgence... and dreaming. Dreaming of the world we will one day all have together, when all of this nonsense is over, when we all lock into place." Celestia looked a little hesitant, but Twilight Shadow only smiled softly, gazing towards Luna and replying quietly: "I don't care about what we do or don't have, Luna... only that I'm with you and Scrivener. And now... Celestia, too." She gazed affectionately towards the ivory equine, and Celestia smiled a little in return before the violet mare said softly: "And it's okay. I understand being worried... I was upset at first and concerned myself, after all. I mean... look at me, I'm stitched together, and when I get angry, well..." Twilight smiled despite herself, patting her own chest gently. "But you... you only really just opened your eyes to our world, Celestia. Just wait. Just watch for now. I promise, you'll feel yourself more and more naturally... enjoying things." The ivory equine nodded slowly, and Luna laughed quietly as she shook her head, adding quietly: "And worry not, sister, I did not mean the world we will go out and conquer. Nay, I and my husband were only thinking of Scarlet Sage's prophecy... and how pretty thou looks in a collar, as ours, First Concubine." Celestia blushed at this, reaching up to touch it awkwardly as Luna's own metallic, welded-on collar gleamed around her neck, and for a moment, Celestia looked at it, feeling almost envious. Luna caught this, and she smiled slowly as she drew her eyes along Celestia, grinning slightly as she said easily: "Worry not, beloved sister. Thou wears our names upon thy body, and that is something not even Twilight Shadow has... truly, thou hast impressed us. Shown us loyalty and love, and we will never, ever doubt in thee again." Celestia smiled a little at this, bowing her head forwards silently as Twilight laughed quietly and shook her own. "Sounds like you're trying to get me jealous, Luna. Besides, it's not like tattoos would exactly work for me." "Bah, 'tis always a way." Luna scoffed, then she shook her head and turned to head towards Scrivener Blooms, crawling up into the forelimbs of the Tyrant Wyrm before calling easily as he cradled her with a rumble: "Come, though. 'Tis no greater comfort than to be held in the arms of a monster." Twilight laughed as Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes, but both ponies followed, making themselves comfortable as Luna looked lovingly over them before Scrivener said softly: "This is one of my favorite things about being this size. Holding you all... feeling like I could even stand a chance of protecting you all if something happened. Not that any of you need protection..." "Aye, but is a nice thought, beloved. And I would gladly play the damsel in distress for thee, as well." Luna said softly, gazing up at him with warmth glowing in her eyes. Scrivener looked back down at her, and their eyes locked, trading affection, thoughts, emotions back and forth... and then the Tyrant Wyrm's eyes slid closed as he raised his head with a soft, warm sigh, and Luna gave a small, content sound of her own. Twilight gazed between the two, then awkwardly up at Celestia... but the ivory equine only smiled as well before she said quietly: "Thankful as I am for everything, though... glad as I am that Scarlet Sage's prediction was for the most part, positive, she did mention a fire, a war... and that after the long period of peace, everything would collapse..." "All civilizations fall." Scrivener said softly, and then he shook his head slowly as he settled a bit against the ponies, looking meditative. "Besides, she seemed... confused about the last part of the prophecy. And I can't think of many things that would be capable of actually bringing down myself and Luna... with you and Twilight Shadow protecting us on top of that, I think it's safe to say we're next-to-unstoppable." "Exactly, next to." Celestia said quietly, raising a hoof, and Scrivener and Luna both frowned a bit as Twilight looked up curiously. "I, for one, am not bound to anyone here. I can die. Secondly, Twilight Shadow is still vulnerable to having her spirit bound down, or worse, her physical body could be imprisoned or sealed somewhere." "I'm learning how to 'abandon' my physical body, though... and... well, I don't want to do it right now, it'll start rotting pretty much immediately." Twilight said awkwardly, and Celestia smiled at her kindly as she nodded and gave her a look, for a moment again teacher and student, and Twilight couldn't help but smile in return as she murmured: "But that would be useless if I was in an iron cell or another prison built specifically to impede spirits." "Precisely." Celestia's eyes roved towards Luna and Scrivener, continuing gently: "And it won't be long before our enemies realize – if they have not already, that is – that Valhalla's blessed oil and certain are materials are devastating to both of you. No matter how wide or small our vulnerabilities, we must not be arrogant. We must not assume that we are invulnerable, that our enemies are no threat to us. The enemy is always a threat, no matter how strong or weak they are or we are. Countless generals have lost battles simply because they decided victory was 'guaranteed' and they sent their troops marching cockily forwards, thinking that there was no way they could lose, leaving them unprepared for a resurgence, an ambush, a trap." "Yes, yes, yes." Luna muttered, huffing a bit before she grumbled: "Don't make me take thy collar away, sister. Or better yet, use thee as fodder for Scrivener Blooms." Celestia only sighed a little, then Twilight leaned up and asked quietly: "But the further ahead in time, the less accurate the prophecy, right? Either way... should we really focus on this now? We do have another serious problem..." "The coming war, yes." Celestia said softly, and she looked meditatively down for a moment before nodding slowly once, unconsciously curling herself closer against Scrivener, settling more comfortably despite her heavy armor as she murmured: "The Royal Council is playing a game of delays, but it won't last much longer. I did not expect them to be cunning enough to blame 'raiders' for the loss of our supply caravans, nor that they would use the same excuse as to why caravans with 'gifts' they sent us never arrived. I also did not expect that while our emissaries have spoken to Equestria, spoken to ponies, and contacted both Nibelung and Strange Ones, they would go one step further and attempt to establish relations with the dragons." "That could be difficult." Luna muttered, but Celestia only smiled coldly, and the dark-coated winged unicorn looked moodily at her older sister before she said grumpily: "Somewhere, Celestia, a baby dragon just died. Every time you smile like that, a baby dragon dies horribly. That expression scares me, do not use it. It makes me feel less like I am becoming evil and more like I should be hiding beneath Scrivener Blooms. And for the sake of Yggdrasil, take off thy damnable armor." Celestia rolled her eyes, but then she closed her eyes and flicked her horn as it gave a soft golden pulse, and Scrivener blinked and looked up in surprise as his own horn glowed slightly as well, feeling a bit of his own energies being pulled towards the spell as Celestia's armor glowed before rapidly disassembling itself from her body and neatly piling itself some twenty feet away at the edge of the Garden. Luna, however, looked curiously towards Celestia, her gaze somewhere between interested and intent as Twilight frowned a bit before the ivory equine looked up and said softly: "Think of it as an interesting side effect, sister... but it should please you. In a way both of us now share a connection to Scrivener Blooms. It's part of the reason I'm not afraid even if they send the most monstrous dragon after us. Not only is Scrivener Blooms a Tyrant Wyrm, all three of us share a bond, a connection, that would let us push energy and magic into him... and with his size and shape and strength..." Luna's eyes slowly widened and Scrivener looked down in surprise, and Twilight looked up sharply at Celestia. "Wait, as it is, Luna and Scrivener are able to increase the power of their magic incredibly by concentrating off one another... if what you're saying is true, we could..." "Yes. The effects would be reality-shattering." Celestia paused for a moment, then glanced towards Scrivener, asking mildly: "Does that feed your ego enough, my friend?" Scrivener blushed a bit, but the tone was playful more than venomous, and he couldn't help but smile awkwardly down at Celestia, squeezing the ponies closer against his titanic frame as he said finally: "A little. Especially since Luna and I have a few other cards up our sleeves as well..." "I know. Things like the amplifiers spread across Equestria that so many ponies think are now useless... but with that master amplifier at the top of the central spire of this castle..." Celestia hesitated, shaking her head slowly. "But think of the imagery, Scrivener Blooms, in what Scarlet Sage envisioned. You and Luna, falling from a tower after accumulating everything, and with what I've just said... how combining our powers through you, using you as a conduit, could amplify magic to truly incredible amounts... too much power is a path to self-destruction, not perfection. Fighting to attain more and more... what's the point of it?" "So we can bring about peace. So we can make our dreams reality... because... because we can." Scrivener said finally, lamely, and then he winced and dropped his head at the almost-contemptible look Celestia gave him as Luna sighed a little. "I know, I know. That's... not what I meant, that last part. It's... you have to believe me, it's so much more than that, but it's so hard to explain. I... I want more. I desire more, almost need more..." Scrivener halted, then he shivered a bit and shook his head slowly as Luna looked up and said gently: "Let me answer thy question with another question, Celestia: would thou prefer to see the power in our hooves or in the hooves of another? Nay, even clearer: if thou could take our powers away... would thou?" This made Celestia shift awkwardly, and then Luna smiled a bit and nodded, saying quietly: "Exactly. But let us... move on from this subject perhaps, there is no point in discussing what is possible when 'tis so far in the future and may never occur, just like there is no point in discussing our... desires when they are... they are not even coherently-formed. Besides, we drift away from what we must discuss: the subject of the trade caravans." Celestia looked down quietly, and then she glanced up at Scrivener Blooms and said softly: "No, wait. I have one more thing to say, before we move on... and it's that I have no right to judge. With your power, after all, you have done great things, and you have given gifts, gifts that those whom received them have considered 'blessings.' And whatever my own personal viewpoints, it doesn't matter how I feel if they bring the person they're meant for happiness and pride without bringing harm to them in body or mind. Then it is a blessing, no matter what I think or feel or rationalize. "And likewise, you've given me gifts. Of power and more... so I'm sorry that for a moment I almost slipped into old habits and old ways." Celestia smiled a bit, saying quietly: "I can lecture you at a later date on why these things are wrong or right. You're right, sister, for now we do have a war to think about, and it is a far-more-pressing matter and with the enemy we will face, it is important that we are all as strong as possible to deal with what lays ahead... even if I admit that part of me is eager to fight these new dragons and test just how strong they are." Luna snorted in amusement, and Scrivener smiled at her, locking gazes for a moment with the ivory equine and feeling honestly thankful, but Celestia only smiled back and shrugged a bit before Twilight asked curiously: "But then what do we do, Celestia? We can't get supplies to Enstasis anymore... at least, not by normal transportation. Even guarded, any wagon is attacked and destroyed and our demons killed. And we do have civilians here who require some of those supplies, which we're now beginning to run very low on... Nightmares and Phooka can't keep carrying small supply loads forever, especially since sometimes even they end up going missing." "And likely dead. And 'tis all but confirmed that Sleipnir is there, but it is not like him to kill so callously, and we have not heard a single word from him." Luna muttered, shaking her head moodily. "I fear that Odin's friends must have some stake in all this. Must be pulling our poor brother's strings somehow." "I do as well, sister. And they must be either very intelligent or remarkably ruthless to keep Sleipnir in line..." Celestia rubbed thoughtfully under her muzzle, and then she smiled slightly, glancing over at Luna. "But there's only one thing to do, in any event. Since it's obvious these 'raiders' are likely Knights of New Equestria from Ponyville, we should send them a challenge they won't be able to refuse." And Luna grinned slightly at this, her eyes lighting up as Scrivener Blooms rumbled in agreement and Twilight Shadow looked up with a calm smile of her own, the ponies sliding themselves closer to one-another in the forelimbs of the enormous Tyrant Wyrm as flowers rustled in the windless Garden of the dark Castle Enstasis. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story